There is a need and a requirement to provide a support surface or stand for modern-type printers, particularly those used in connection with data and word-processing computer devices, which printers employ and use substantial quantities of fanfold, continuous paper sheets for printing purposes. Typically, a printer stand provides a support surface adequate to support the printer, and also includes a storage area for the fanfold paper, so that the paper inserted in the printer may be fed continuously from the paper in the storage area. Generally, to assure free flow of the fanfold paper, the storage area is directly above or below the printer.
One printer stand includes a generally U-shaped frame element with support posts adhesively secured at each end to the upper and lower surfaces of the frame within the storage element and toward the back open end of the frame. While such support posts provide support, it has been found in practice that rough handling in shipment and use generally causes the breakage of the post elements or the post elements to become insecure. Further, in some stands, the ends of the U-shaped frame at the one end are generally in a vertical plane one edge above the other, while fanfold paper, placed within the storage area of the frame, tends to move outwardly in use and does not have fully free flow to the overhead supported printer.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide an integral printer stand to support a printer, and to provide a storage area beneath the supported printer for fanfold paper, which overcomes or avoids the disadvantages and difficulties associated with prior-art printer stands.